All industries · head to head
Slack vs Basecamp
Basecamp
All industries
Project management & team collaboration software
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Slack 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing; Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
- They diverge on capability: Slack covers Channels, Basecamp covers Message boards.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Slack and Basecamp actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Slack
- Channels
- Direct messaging
- Voice & video calls
- Screen sharing
- File sharing
- Search
- Workflow builder
- Slack Connect
Only in Basecamp
- Message boards
- To-do lists
- Schedules
- Documents & files
- Group chat
- Check-in questions
- Hill Charts
- Email forwards
Both cover
- GitHub
- SOC2
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Slack
- Team communicationnot Basecamp
- Project coordinationnot Basecamp
- Customer supportnot Basecamp
- Remote worknot Basecamp
- Cross-functional collaborationnot Basecamp
Basecamp
- Project management for a small team in one placenot Slack
- Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Slack
- Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Slack
- Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Slack
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Slack
- 90-day message history limit on free plan results in important conversations disappearing
- Per-user pricing becomes expensive quickly for larger teams
- Notification overload with 78% of employees feeling overwhelmed by notifications
- Mobile app performance issues including lag and slow syncing
- Huddles limited to 50 people and cannot be recorded
- Requires dedicated video conferencing service for formal meetings and webinars
Basecamp
- The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
- Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
- Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
- Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited
Pricing, plan by plan
Slack
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Slack review.
Basecamp
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Slack if
- You need channels.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux.
- You also want direct messaging.
Choose Basecamp if
- You need message boards.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want to-do lists.
Questions people ask
- Is Slack or Basecamp better?
- Neither clearly leads. Slack starts at Free and Basecamp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Slack or Basecamp?
- Slack starts at Free and Basecamp at Free.
- Does Slack or Basecamp run on more platforms?
- Slack runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux. Basecamp runs on Web.
- Can I use Slack for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Slack best used for?
- Slack is most often used for team communication, project coordination, customer support, remote work. Of those, team communication and project coordination are not what Basecamp is typically brought in for.
- What can Slack do that Basecamp cannot?
- Slack covers Channels, Direct messaging, Voice & video calls, Screen sharing. Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Both handle GitHub, SOC2.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Slack: Does Slack have a free plan?
Yes, Slack offers a free plan indefinitely with no credit card required. Free users get 90-day message history, up to 10 app integrations, and 1:1 huddles.
SourceSlack: What are Slack's pricing plans?
Slack offers Free, Pro ($7.25/user/month with annual billing), Business+ ($12.50/user/month), and Enterprise Grid (custom pricing). Monthly billing costs approximately 20% more than annual.
SourceSlack: Does Slack support offline use?
Slack is a cloud-based platform and does not support robust offline work. Internet connectivity is required to access messages and collaborate.
SourceSlack: What integrations does Slack support?
Slack integrates with 43+ apps on average per team, including Google Drive, ChatGPT, Vercel, Asana, GitHub, and many others through their app marketplace.
Source